In the earlier days of gaming, one would be able to buy a physical copy, bring it home, put it in the disc tray, and be able to boot up the game instantly and play it with friends. However, we’ve seen things change over the last two-ish decades with players needing to still download physical copies after purchase, and now reaching the point where games such as the upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 won’t feature a disc, even in their physical editions. 

In an X post by “Does it play?” (an account which looks at whether a game needs an online connection to be playable) on July 15th, 2026, they reported according to photos submitted by one unnamed X user that the upcoming Halo: Campaign Evolved, the anticipated remake of the iconic Halo: Combat Evolved from 2001, will require an internet connection to play, despite the fact the game has no multiplayer and is singleplayer only. For fans hoping the remake would capture the energy of the original, this may come across as severely disappointing as it means playing offline may be a no-go despite the fact the game offers local two-player split-screen and singleplayer. 

Confirmation that the new Halo release is the expected coaster. Needs a download to start AND won’t let you play without an additional login even after.

A Twitter user was so kind as to share these insights from an early PS5 Collector’s Edition copy with us. pic.twitter.com/gBpY5c5hop

— Does it play? (@DoesItPlay1) July 15, 2026

The controversy surrounding physical releases has grown steadily over recent years as digital releases have become more of a priority. Many worry that the inability to play games offline means that servers being shut down over time will prevent people from being able to play certain games later, so much so that we’ve seen entire movements such as “Stop Killing Games” push for legislation to help games survive long after developers stop providing support. Sony recently announced that they intend to stop producing physical releases for games, fueling fears among players that a worse future awaits for video games. Alongside this, there’s the anxiety surrounding DRM and one actually owning their games, where even upon purchase, one may not legally “own” their video games. Hopefully things can change down the line, and the aforementioned “Stop Killing Games” may spell this, but we have yet to see where things go.